


Missing Scouser

by BettyHT



Series: Guitar Blues [4]
Category: Bonanza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-19 00:33:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16129889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BettyHT/pseuds/BettyHT
Summary: Fourth in the Guitar Blues series:  Lyn gets to know Hoss as she misses her brother, but then there are surprising developments.





	Missing Scouser

Missing Scouser

 

Chapter 1

Lyn was missing Scouser. The more that she saw Hoss, the more she remembered her brother and it intensified the feeling of loss. She loved being on the Ponderosa and she loved Adam's family. It was wonderful for her to have two sisters too with whom she could discuss things that required a more feminine audience. Laurie and Alice made it easier for Lyn to accept that her mother was gone, just as Ben's wholehearted welcome of her eased some of the pain of the loss of her father.

Adam had noticed how she looked at Hoss sometimes and guessed at the connection she was making. The sad look that passed across her countenance at such times was brief but telling. He mentioned it to Hoss one day as they rode. Hoss started to feel badly about it but Adam assured him that was not why he broached the subject. Instead, he wondered if Hoss could spend a little more time with Lyn. If he could talk with her as an older brother, Adam felt sure that the pain of Scouser's loss might be less. Hoss did like spending time with Lyn so for him, the request was not a difficult one to accept. He started the next day after breakfast when he rode to Adam's home supposedly to discuss business with Adam.

"Now that's done, I think I may just go fishing. Hey, Lyn, you ever been fishing?"

"No, that wasn't something anyone in my family did."

"Well, then, how about if you come with me, and I'll teach ya how to fish like an American?"

"Oh I don't know. I have the children to care for. I can't just dump them in Adam's lap and go off and play."

"Hey, wait a minute. They are my children too. I can care for them for a few hours. Besides there's always Kim. You should go. Hoss knows how to fish, but it's his fish stories that are the best part of an outing with him. Go on, have some fun."

So Lyn agreed and spent the next few hours fishing. For a change, Hoss actually did quite a bit of fishing instead of using the time for a nap in the sun. After about three hours, they arrived back at Adam's house. Adam had not seen Lyn so vibrant since before her parents' death. She held up a stringer with a few fish on it and grinned from ear-to-ear.

"I caught all of these myself. Hoss is going to teach me how to clean them now so we can eat them. We had so much fun, I hardly had time to worry about you or feel guilty about shunning my responsibilities."

"Well if there's anyone who can make a person feel that way, it's my brothers."

Adam smiled and hugged his wife, and then smiled as she walked off toward the stable with Hoss to clean her fish.

 

Chapter 2

Hoss hadn't been to town for a night out in a long time. He, Joe, and Adam had decided to celebrate spring with a trip to town. For Hoss, this night felt very special. First he had been home awaiting the birth of his child. Then there was a cattle drive and he hurried home from that instead of celebrating with the men because he missed his wife and child so much. Then there was the long winter with a number of big storms and the only trips to town had been to get supplies or attend church services as the weather allowed. Christmas had been fun too with the children, especially AC and Beth too now that she understood the concept of presents. But then the rest of the winter passed slowly and he was ready for a good time.

The Cartwright ladies also planned an outing. Lyn, Laurie, and Alice were going to do some dress shopping and then have dinner at the International. Adam made reservations for them as soon as he had arrived in town. He ordered flowers for their table and a bottle of wine. He paid for Lyn's meal and left a generous gratuity to ensure the ladies got excellent service.

Relaxing at the bar with a beer each to start, Hoss and his brothers began to reminisce about the days when they had come to town and often left only after paying fines and damages.

"Why was it that I had to pay when the two of you were the ones who started those fights?"

"Now Adam, you did start a few yourself. And besides, who's to say we weren't fighting because some jasper insulted you by calling you something awful?"

"Yeah, like a bossy pig-headed stubborn mule, or uppity know-it-all too-big-for-his-britches smarty-pants? Huh?"

"Joe, why does it sound like the same kind of things you used to call me back then?"

"Well, maybe in here is where I learned to call you those things."

"Damn, I forgot to get those things Kim wanted from Chinatown. I'll be back in a bit."

Adam left and Hoss and Joe ordered a second round as they leaned back against the bar to survey the room. There was a table of poker but the table was full. It looked like a group of down o their luck cowboys anyway so it probably wouldn't be much fun. The saloon gals stayed away because it was well known that all three Cartwright sons were married and fathers now. No one wanted to anger the Cartwright women: they all appeared to be able to take care of themselves even the little one married to Adam. People said she could shoot and even had her own gun that she carried in her skirt pocket on occasion.

"Joe, somehow I remember a Friday night in town as being a whole lot more interesting than this."

"That's because it was. We can't drink too much or get in a fight or our wives will make life pretty miserable for a while. The poker game isn't interesting. This could end up being an early night."

Just as Joe said that, a mountain of a man walked into the saloon. He walked to the bar and set his hat on it before ordering a beer. He dropped a valise at his feet. Hoss started to get an idea and walked over to the man.

"Hello, my name's Hoss."

The big fellow smiled and stuck out his hand to shake.

"My name's Michael."

To Hoss and Joe, the man had a funny accent but lots of people around Virginia City lately did as there were several mines hiring and people from all over were moving in. Hoss had a proposition to make.

"Now you look like a sporting man. How about an arm wrassel or a wrasslin match and loser buys drinks?"

"Well, now that sounds like a good time. Where's the man big enough to challenge me though?"

Michael had a twinkle in his eye as he said it, and Hoss wasn't offended.

"Arm wrassling or just plain wrassling?"

"Wrestling I think. Here or in the street?"

Sam hurriedly assured them that the street was for wrestling, but that arm wrestling would be allowed in the saloon area. Hoss handed his coat and gun-belt to Joe. The two big men walked outside and the saloon emptied as the patrons rushed to be spectators at the best thing that had happened in town lately. The two big men started by shaking hands and then started to wrestle. It was clear that the newcomer was quite good, but Hoss had a lot of experience on his side. After about twenty minutes and no clear winner, the two wrestlers stood facing each other trying to catch their breath. Hoss had a suggestion.

"How about one last clinch and the winner is the one left standing? Ya gotta stay in this circle though or you lose."

Hoss drew a circle with about a five-foot circumference. Both men took up a position inside the ring and when Joe said 'Now' they started in on each other. Neither seemed to even move for a bit until suddenly Michael shifted his weight down, up, and then sideways. Hoss tried to regain his balance but failed, and he stepped outside the circle. Hoss shook Michael's hand and the two went inside to enjoy a beer on Hoss' expense. Michael was going to introduce himself further until Joe said something about the Cartwright wives being in the hotel restaurant. Michael excused himself and headed that way. Michael asked directions for that restaurant without seeming too excited, but inside his heart was pounding.

Michael followed the directions and headed toward the restaurant. From inside, Lyn saw him and gasped. Then she stood and ran out into the street and threw herself into his arms. She hugged him and kissed him.

"It can't be you, but it is."

"Yeah, Sissie, it's me. I missed you so much."

"Why didn't you send a letter?"

"Because it would have gone out on the same ship I was on and you wouldn't have known any sooner. I just met your two brothers-in-law in the saloon. Good blokes they are."

"Wasn't Adam there?"

"Never saw the bloke. He's here in town too?"

From the restaurant, Laurie and Alice didn't know what to make of the two in the street. They obviously knew each other and cared for each other, but they knew how much Lyn loved Adam. So they waited expecting that at some point Lyn would come back and tell them all about it.

In the saloon, Adam returned with his packages and questioned Hoss about his disheveled appearance.

"So you did get in a fight?"

"Nah, there was a big man in here with a funny accent and we wrassled for drinks. Then he headed over to the International after I mentioned that our wives were there having dinner. He musta been hungry. He even forgot his valise here."

"He had a funny accent?"

"Yeah, he sounded a little like Lyn only not as fine."

Adam picked up the valise and after seeing the design on it, he dropped it and ran out of the saloon. Hoss looked at Joe.

"Something I said?"

"No, Hoss, but something's funny here. We better follow him."

Hoss and Joe walked out of the saloon and looked down the street. What they saw shocked them. In the distance, Lyn was in the arms of the big man, and Adam was on a dead run toward them. They heard Adam yell something and the big man released Lyn and faced Adam. Adam slammed pretty hard into the man and they fell to the ground. Hoss and Joe rushed to help because both were afraid that Adam had taken on too much. When they got there, Adam and the big man were laughing uproariously and Lyn was laughing too but had tears running down her face. It had been too much for the ladies in the restaurant so they arrived as well. Adam stood and helped pull the big man to his feet.

"Ladies, and my brothers, I would like to introduce Michael Harrison, Scouser, who is quite alive apparently. There's got to be a good story in there, mate."

"Oh, there is, but I think I would like to tell it in a more private setting."

Packages, valise, and other belongings were collected and the seven of them headed to Adam's house. On the way, they decided that Ben might like to be there so Joe headed that way to get him. It was a bit late but they knew he would like to hear about this. In less than two hours, all were ensconced in Adam's house in front of the fireplace ready to share stories. Before Ben and Joe got there, Scouser was surprised to learn he not only had Beth as a niece but twin nephews, Michael and Nicholas, as well. He had to see them so Lyn and Adam took him to the children's bedrooms and he looked at the sleeping treasures. They decided not to wake AC but tell him all about this in the morning. Once Ben and Joe were there, Scouser launched into his narrative.

 

Chapter 3

Lyn sat next to her brother with a hand on his arm. She needed the physical contact to believe that this was all real. Adam sat next to her with his arm around her waist to support her. He could feel her still shaking.

"Maxwell had me kidnapped. He waylaid me like any bushranger would but when I went to hand over my wallet, the buggers tied me up instead. They put me in a wagon, and the next thing I know I'm on a boat to Queensland where I was forced to work on a banana plantation. Well I had fought them every step of the way and wasn't in good condition to work much less fight any more. I thought I was going to die there, but then that damn Maxwell showed up. He'd been putting the money he stole into that plantation. Then he kidnapped people to work it. He had a partner too. An aborigine woman who had helped kidnap even some of her own people. Workers died there because conditions were so terrible. Maxwell taunted me. He told me what you believed. He said I would die, and then they would feed me to the salt crocs like they did with any worker who died."

Scouser had to stop and explain some of that. Lyn and Adam had not told the family about Maxwell and what he had done so Adam filled in that part of the story saying only enough so that they would understand because he didn't want Lyn reliving too much of it. Then Scouser continued with his story.

"Well I acted like I was hurt and sick and not getting better. I ate bananas and anything else I could to get my strength back. Once you left for America, that bloke thought he would get some satisfaction wounding me and watching the crocs eat me. He walked me toward the river there but that bullet you put in his arm helped. He raised his pistol to shoot me but was too slow because that hand was partially disabled. That gave me time to get close enough and I grabbed that pistol and threw it in the river. He did nick me in the arm but it wasn't enough to stop me. One good hand was all I needed to take care of that galah. Well I grabbed him by his neck and lifted him off his feet. I choked the life out of him with my bare hand. He tried to kick me but it was a feeble thing. I looked into his eyes as he knew he was dying and I laughed at him. I could see fury replaced by fear and I kept going until his lips turned blue and his eyes turned glassy."

At first everyone was silent. The ferocity of what Scouser had done had shocked them. Adam pulled Lyn into a tighter embrace though. Their nightmare was over thanks to Scouser. Lyn was worried for her brother though.

"Scouser, aren't you afraid what the authorities might think? You could be tried for killing him when he was unarmed."

"There ain't no body and no witnesses. I left his carcass lying there on the banks of a river in northern Queensland. The saltwater crocs must have had a feast on him. His partner fled back to her people, but because of what she had done to some of her own people by helping Maxwell, they took care of her."

"What did they do?"

"Joe, they banished her. Now some can live for quite a while in the outback, but it was the dry season and a long way from everything. Too many dangers to survive. It was the reason that they could kidnap workers. No one was around there to stop them, and it was impossible to escape."

"How did you get back from there?"

"The workers who went back to their people told them what I had done. They found me and helped me and the others with food and water. They gave us some basic weapons. Before we left, we took anything from that plantation that could help so we had extra clothing, blankets, canteens, more food, and such. We followed that river upstream until we got to the mountains. They aren't nearly as high as the ones here. We followed the valleys through and got to Towns' plantation. The bugger heard my story and then made me work for some money that he then took as payment for my passage to Brisbane. Once there I was able to contact people who helped me. Once I was in Sydney, I talked to Luke and found out where exactly you had gone, and got on the first ship I could to come here."

Lyn hugged her brother. She was sorry for his ordeal but inordinately pleased that he was here with her. She felt more complete than she had in a long time. She leaned back into Adam's embrace and relaxed. Soon after, the others took their leave. Adam showed Scouser the guest bedroom, and he headed to bed. His long trip and the telling of his story had left him exhausted but fulfilled.

The next morning, AC was awakened early by Adam. He didn't want his son shocked if he suddenly saw his uncle without preamble. He explained what had happened and that Uncle Scouser was sleeping in the guest bedroom. AC wanted to go wake him, but Adam told him that isn't what you did to people you cared about. AC had to wait until he awoke on his own which to AC seemed to take forever.

Finally as they were eating breakfast, Scouser walked down the stairs and directly to the dining room where he asked for breakfast and lots of it. With a tear in her eye, she asked Kim to please bring out more food. Then AC started filling Scouser in on everything he had missed although he had to be reminded several times that certain things were private and not to be shared especially at the dining room table. Adam shook his head because AC reminded him so much of Joe. Lyn wondered if that is how Adam would have been without all the pain and difficulties of his childhood.


End file.
